


For a Spell

by wynnebat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Bookstores, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Past James Potter/Lily Evans Potter - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-03
Packaged: 2018-05-17 23:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5889235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wynnebat/pseuds/wynnebat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily owns a bookstore, Alice owns an Auror's badge, and it's all very magical.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For a Spell

**Author's Note:**

> For the [femmeslash drabble tag](https://www.fanfiction.net/topic/44309/60355860/1/Femmeslash-Drabble-Tag).

"Nope, don't even bother," Lily calls from across the shop. She's developed a second sense for these things now, after running her own bookstore for nearly ten years now. And especially so now that Flourish and Blotts, the corporate bastards around the corner, have run all the other bookshops in Diagon Alley out of business. Lily isn't hanging on by the skin of her teeth anymore, but it had been come and go for a while a couple years ago.

As she gets closer to the source of trouble, she hears Avery hiss, "Of all the people in the world, why—"

"There's coffee in the back room, Avery," Lily says, grasping him by the shoulders and firmly steering him away from Avery's least favorite customer.

Avery's got a decade and a head on her, but he folds quickly. By now, he knows how many strategies Lily has developed for keeping people in line, begun as a teenager with the Marauders, perfected as a mother of one trouble-siren of a little boy, and finalized when she had to juggle a fledgling business, motherhood, and divorce all at the same time. Her glare only gets better as she ages, Sirius had told her last week, dodging a spell soon after.

It's that same glare that she turns onto Avery's tormentor.

"Really, Alice," she tells the Auror that's sprawled across the aisle. With space-enhancing charms aplenty thanks to her dear friend Filius, the bookshop is much larger inside than its outward size would suggest, but it's no reason for Alice to be sitting there instead of on the plush couches Lily had picked out herself. And not to mention, "Must you?"

"I'm totally innocent, cross my heart—" Alice's wand lazily does the motion, shooting a couple yellow sparks "—he started it this time."

Lily tries to decide whether she believes her, but, well, sometimes one has to just give in and trust the defenders of magic, peace, and et cetera.

It gets easier as Alice takes her hand and pulls her down to join her, pressing an easy kiss against Lily's lips.

"I have an hour for lunch. Wanna recreate that day in the Hogwarts library?"

"She doesn't," Avery calls back.

Lily takes just one moment to think, to consider whether adulthood is really worth it, and says, "Come back tonight, when store's closed. For now, you may buy me a coffee."

Somewhere in the background, Avery's making a strangled noise, but Lily only has eyes for the way Alice grins at her and says, "Deal."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Complete; no sequel planned.


End file.
